Popular owners Barrie and Midge Griffiths celebrated more black type success at Caulfield on Wednesday when Royal Commands won the Listed MRC Carsales Classic.

Royal Commands (4m Commands – Princess Renee by Zabeel) is from a half-sister to NZ bred galloper Bundy Lad (Karioi Lad).  He was a Listed winner of the 1994 Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa and then crossed the Tasman to claim the G2 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

Royal Commands was a $37,000 buy out of the 2008 Inglis Easter 11 yearling sale.  She was catalogued by Parsons Creek Farm and was one of just two yearlings purchased by the Seymour couple from that sale.

The other was Response (Charge Forward) who won the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield last month.  She was a $50,000 graduate of the Alanbridge Stud draft.  

Caulfield has been a happy hunting ground for Barry and Midge ever since their mare Mannerism entered folklore with a G1 victory over Veandercross in the 1992 Caulfield Cup.

Besides Mannerism, they bred Group 1 winners Tawriffic, Northwood Plume and Azzurro at Northwood Park in Seymour.  They bought the century old thoroughbred nursery from the family of A G Hunter in 1977.  

The Griffiths retained a portion of the property and still live there after selling the historic stud to Sheikh Mohammed five years ago.

Royal Commands is by Darley sire Commands and he has now sired 33 black-type winners who have combined to win 59 stakes races.  He can crack 60 when Darley gallopers Skilled, Soul and Purple start in support events on Caulfield Cup day.